Desarrollo de un framework de MTConnect para monitoreamiento remoto de máquinas de manufactura aditiva RepRap vía Internet.

Abstract

The MTConnect standard provides a bridge to bring networked physical manufacturing resources to cloud manufacturing environments. However, making legacy manufacturing equipment compliant with this new standard is still a difficult task. Indeed, regarding the additive manufacturing processes, this issue is in an incipient stage. To address the issue, this work introduces an MTConnect-compliant framework for shopfloor data access and monitoring of RepRap additive manufacturing machines based on Arduino open technology controllers. A communication channel based on TCP/IP protocol using an Ethernet module was incorporated into the machine system to extend the functionalities of RepRap 3D printers to connect to the Internet. Two MTConnect implementation architectures named Type 1 and Type 2 were proposed. A web-client application was also developed to validate the system by performing real-time machine monitoring over the Internet. The proposed MTConnect solution allows retrieving data of axes position, headbed temperature, hotend temperature, material extrusion, current layer and elapsed time from the web application, demonstrating feasibility to operate in cloud manufacturing environments.